Voices Among Shadows
by MissSmokey20
Summary: Avari, a Dalish Elf in training to take her place as Keeper, & The Dragon Soul/God Child, Morrigan and My Cousland Warden. Wanted to try something a tad bit different compared to all my other storys. Most of the people in this story will be of my own. R&R
1. Chapter 1

Avari sighed when she recognized the mysticism that had taken the place of her aravel, the motion of the dirt road that the halla pulled it upon and became numb to her body. She slowly pulled herself up to her feet, pulling the long white gown down when it stuck to her knees. She stood in a clearing, if she had not been in the Fade before she would swear she could feel the cold earth beneath her between her toes. The forest surrounded her, silent and dark giving her no view of what secrets hid inside its shadows. "Again with the same?" She groaned folding her arms. "Can you not try harder demon?" The wind caught her long chocolate hair blowing it back over her shoulders till it stretched in front of her surrounding her with the smell of fresh flowers. "And then the halla." She narrated a second before a large white animal jumped from the woods that surrounded her. It was comical to her how this demon tempted her with the same desire each night; yes it was something she dreamt of it was what every Dalish longed for. To return to the old ways of immortality, lands of their own and to understand their own language once again. The King had given them a small piece of land hidden deep into the Brecilian Forest and they had been so grateful to him for it but it could never replace the want and need to return to their homeland of Elvhenan. "I suppose you want me to walk this way?" She asked in an insulting manner. "What happens if I choose to just" She walked over to a downed tree and sat upon its trunk. "Sit here and wait until you either choose to show yourself to me or I awaken?" "You are infuriating, mage!" The demon roared appearing in front of the young Elf. Avari looked up at him, he may have frightened her as a girl but he had been trying to gain access to her body for years upon years that she had become use to him. She longer feared sleep or feared the demons tricks she had been turning them around on him every time he had coaxed her into his area of the Fade which would just push his anger more. She had joked in her mind how he had to be a stone's throw away from becoming an anger demon, maybe he would be more set for that then he was with desires and pride.

He reached for the mage but his hand froze inches from her neck when his illusion he had created for the mage began to dissipate. The Elf looked around as the normal, well what was normal to her, Fade returned. Boats in trees, statues twisted and molded to take the shape of what the demons eyes for saw in the mortal world. An older woman walked towards them a sly smile stretched her lips, her eyes as golden as a wolf. She wore the robs of a mage along with a necklace that clung to the material, Avari had seen the type of jewelry before in forests many of the bodies of the wild folk held them, her hair black as the shadows that Dalish archers stalked in was tied into a tight bun except for the shorter hair covering her forehead that swooped to one side of her face covering her eyebrow. "Be gone demon!" She shouted waving her hand in front of her. The demon screeched when the magic enveloped him and pulled at his very being forcing him away before he could protest. The Elf quickly stood up her magic dancing at her finger tips and a spell on her lips, if this demon was going to attempt to test her she was more than ready. "I am sure you are a strong mage, but twould be a horrible move on both our parts." The woman lowered her arms, Avari slowly following but her spells still fresh in her mind. She knew how the Fade played with mages she was not going to be a fool and trust this… being. The mage walked around the Elven girl, running the Elven mages hair through her fingers. "I see why he will desire you but if he is like his father you will no doubt cause his down fall." Avari's brow furrowed and she quickly turned her head to look at the woman. "Who is this he?" "Tis someone you do not know, but you two will come to meet soon and with it you will pull each other into something that nobody will be prepared for." The woman sighed with annoyance when the girl looked at her confused and opened her mouth to speak. "I do not have to break it down for you, Elf."

The cool air of Ferelden filled Avari's lungs in a sharp pain as she quickly sat up right with a gasp. "Emma lath?" Avari's Father hurried across to his daughter as feared washed over him he had never seen her wake so frightened. He pulled the girls hair away from her face; he frowned when she opened her eyes. He could see the discomfort in her green eyes, the usual joy that filled them was now replaced with fear and worry. "What is wrong, emm'asha?" "A dream." She answered rubbing her eyes. "Just a bad dream, Father, please go you need your sleep." She smiled taking his hand. The older Elf kissed her forehead before returning to his furs. Avari sunk back into the furs pulling them to her chin, her eyes stayed open and she chose to watch the shadows that the moon caused on the dark wood. She knew sleep would not claim her before they reached the forest. As the sun began to find its way to her the aravel came to halt and the sounds of her people broke the silence of the night and awoken the day. She quickly pulled her robe over her night gown her fingers quickly lacing the thick leather straps into their place before shoved her feet into the high black leather boots. She quickly braided her long chocolate hair, draping the long twisted hair over her shoulder before she stepped out in the morning the sun. She closed her eyes to reveal in the warmth while the sun caught the red marking on her forehead and down her nose. "Avari!" She opened her eyes and looked towards the Keeper who was waving for her to come. She hurried down the small steps and quickly made her away across the damp soil to the Keeper, she bowed her head when she reached the elder Elf. "Yes, Keeper?" "The hunters are preparing to seek out fresh meat in the forest. Can you accompany them? It may give you a chance to practice more combat." "Of course, Keeper." Avari replied bowing her head once more before she ran back to retrieve her staff.

"Lathi!" She called as she hurried towards the group of hunters that were grouped just inside the entrance to the forest. "Finally our healer arrives!" The young male elf smiled folding his arm across his chest. He was tall and lean, Avari's father had taken him in when his mother had fallen ill and they had been raised as brother and sister besides the fact that Lathi was pale and had hair as red as fire and Avari with skin that was touched by the sun leaving it a very light brown and chocolate hair that came to stop just at the mid of her back. They were far from brother and sister appearance wise but in her heart Lathi was nothing but her blood. "I am here to go with you into the forest." Avari breathed while she leaned against her staff that was secured into the ground next to her feet. "Perhaps you could lend me a bow and a few arrows?" she smiled looking up Lathi. "Are you not a mage, Avari? Don't you think it would be wise to focus on your staff?" He chuckled when anger covered her face. "I know my spells and enchantments! I can call on any creature in this forest for assistance as I can also take their form! I am asking you to lend me a bow, Lathi!" She held her hand out to him. He snapped his fingers and a bow along with more than enough arrows was placed into his waiting his hands. "You shoot one of us and it will be the last time I let you use anything but your staff." Avari smiled and shoved her staff deeper into the ground securing that it would stay put while she was absent. She took the arrows and quickly fastened the strap around her chest before taking the bow into her hand. "I will send you with the scouts, we will follow behind you." She nodded and quickly fell in line with the rest of the Elves that were quickly heading up the hill. Avari followed in silence, the bow ready in her hand with an arrow waiting to meet its target. She mirrored the other hunters and dropped to a crouch when they did, quietly moving towards a female hunter named Elora. "Lathi wants you to take the shot." Elora whispered pointing towards the large bear. "Do it quietly and quickly. Aim for rib cage if you can at least hit that you will slow it down enough that we will be able to finish it off." Avari nodded and slowly pulled the arrow back using her finger as a sight as Lathi had taught her when they were younger; she whispered a small fire enchantment that set the stone head of the arrow a blaze before she released it.

Just before the arrow was about to break into its target a figure appeared in front of the bear, it had happened so quickly that Avari had not seen where it had arrived from and from the reaction of the other Elves they had not seen the arrival of the figure either. Her jaw along with her heart dropped to the ground when the figure held up the arrow in its hand, extinguishing the flame with its own spell and snapping the arrow in two. The figure slowly raised its head, Avari could see its eyes they were golden like the woman… the woman in her dream. "Avari." Was it… talking to her or was she just going mad. She ran her hands over her body checking for some sort of poisoned arrow or dagger something that she had been hit with that would cause her mind to hallucinate. "Avari." The voice whispered again, she touched her face when the warmth of a hand pressed against her cheek. She was mad, crazy, maybe even possessed had the demon succeeded in finally capturing her body. She closed her eyes only to reopen them and see the golden eyes in front of hers; they did not belong to the woman… no they belonged to a young man roughly close to her own age. With the hood of his cloak now down on his shoulders she could see his black hair and strong face in front of her, he had just a hint of the woman in his face she could see it in his eyes that were identical to the mage in the Fade. "Avari." He breathed onto her lips while his fingers trailed her face until they reached the long braid which he then proceeded to wrap around his hand. Avari leaned closer to him; she just felt the need to be close to him. The smell of herbs rose from his heavy robes along with the smell of a campfire. "Emma vhenan'ara." She looked at him confused when he spoke in her tongue. Never had she heard a shemlen speak in the old tongue and know what they spoke, most would attempt but to the Dalish all it did was insult them and their culture. Her mind was confused by everything, she had no idea who this shemlen was or why she felt tied to him in some way. Humans had always frightened her and she had always kept her distance from them but with this man she had no fear all she wanted was to be close to him to feel his touch and listen to his voice. "You will know of me soon, Avari."


	2. Chapter 2

_I hope readers are enjoying what I have so far. I like writting this story because it is more of my writting and I don't have to make sure that a lot of my facts are correct because there is not much on the God Child or the Old Gods so I get to make it up as I go. I'm hoping that it will be original and unlike the others stories that are posted._

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><p>"What happen?"<p>

"I don't know, she just… collapsed!"

"Avari?"

"Get the Keeper… NOW!"

Avari could hear the faint voices around her as the mysterious human male began to fade in her mind. She slowly opened her eyes to see the worried faces of the Dalish hunters around her, each one letting out a sigh of relief when she smiled. "What happen?" She asked rubbing the fogginess from her eyes. "Are you alright?" Lathi asked crouching down next to the girl. "Elora said you took your shot and then collapsed to the ground!" He frowned checking over the Elf again. "Did you not see the shemlen?" Avari looked at him in confusion. "He was there in front of the beast, he caught the arrow and snapped it in two." She looked to Elora. "He talked to me you must have heard us speaking." Elora and Lathi looked at each other confused. "Avari, there was no shem in front of the bear." Lathi answered her. "You hit the bear and it fell to the ground. No shem caught the arrow." Elora looked down at the Elf. "Are you sure you are feeling well?" She asked looking over the girl with worry. "We should get her back to camp and to the Keeper." Lathi nodded agreeing with Elora. The two hunters pulled the mage to her feet, each taking an arm and wrapping it around their necks to take the weight off of her weak legs. Avari rested her head on Lathi's shoulder not feeling faint until they had pulled her up right, it was a struggle just to keep her eyes open. She began to focus on the bright flowers and dark greens of the forest while she whispered in Elven tongue trying to focus on the words that were difficult for her mouth to form. It was a battle in its self to keep her heavy eyes open her body wanted sleep but she denied it as she forced her mind to stay alert while she mumbled out words that had not had meaning since they had passed the water that fell freely from the cliff, she spoke like a madman but luckily under her breath where the others could not hear her and so they could not pass judgment on the dazed Elf. The sight of the Keeper was a welcomed sight. Avari forced her mouth into a weak grin when the Keeper looked at her with worry but her smile had forced her mind to stop its work on trying to pronounce the difficult words. Her legs were the first to go leaving her feet to drag through the dirt as the hunters dragged her through the camp, her arms quickly followed and her head hung low with defeat as she finally slipped into the Fade once more.

Lathi picked the girl up when her body became too heavy for Elora to pull along any longer she was lighter than the bears that he often carried from the woods into the camp and caused no trouble for his body to hold. He carefully laid the beautiful girl down onto the furs outside the healer's tents where the Keeper had directed him. The healers quickly came to the Keepers aid and began checking the girl and washing her over with light blue magic while others pulled her boots and fingerless gloves off and gently set them aside. He watched his friend as her face, fingers and toes twitched under the cool thick magic that now covered her entire body like a thick quilt. The Keeper put a small vile of lyrium, that they had acquired from a human settlement just beyond the camp, to Avari's lips picking up her head so the strong blue liquid would flow easily down the girl's throat and give her strength. A moment after the vile had been emptied and cast away did Avari open her eyes once more, the healing magic still cooling her skin. "It seems you are weakened." The Keeper answered her confused look. "You have drained yourself, from what I am not sure." She looked over the girl once more once the healers had stopped their spells and the magic faded into the wind, she gently placed furs over the girl to keep the forests winds from nipping at her skin. Lathi waited until the Elves had left before he sat on the ground next to the girl. "What happen to you?" He whispered soft enough so only the two of them could hear. "You did not see the shem?" Avari questioned him as he pushed the piece of her chocolate hair that had covered her face. "There was no shem, lethallan." He answered with a frown. "There was only the hunters and bear, no shemlen." She sighed turning her head to look beyond the fire. Lathi looked over his shoulder when he saw the girls eyes squint with curiosity. "What's going on?" She asked beginning to sit up. He gently stopped her and pushed her back down against the furs. "Stay. I will go and see if there is trouble." He gently kissed her forehead before making his way to where the Keeper stood with the hunters that watched over the entrance to the camp.

Avari propped herself on her elbow when Lathi glanced over his shoulder at her before turning back to the group of Elves. Her hair fell around her and she leaned forward trying her best to strain her hearing so she could hear of the excitement. Her ears flattened like a challenged animal when she saw the tall figures, each one with a hood pulled over their face. She could tell by the height that they were shems, she counted at least five maybe more. "What are shems doing here?" She asked when she noticed Lathi nearing her. "There have been no shems here since the King granted us this land." She pushed his hand away when he tried to force her back down on the furs she sat up and looked over her shoulder at the shemlens who were now following the Keeper and a few hunters towards the Keepers aravel. "Why have they come?" She asked again. "I do not know. Zayla said they would only speak to the Keeper." He answered following Avari and watching the shems as they disappeared behind the thick leather that covered the entrance to the aravel, they left a large hound outside who fell to the ground with a huff. In time Lathi took his leave, Avari fell asleep watching the Keepers aravel waiting for the shemlen to exit it or for a commotion to begin where she would be needed in combat. Nothing had happened. A few of the younger Elves had stopped to admire the Mabari and give him a scrap of meat but the Humans had not emerged.

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><p>Avari had always been very at home in the Fade, the spirits welcomed her as one of their own and the demons feared her. She had entered the Fade for the first time as a young child before her magic had ever shown itself a spirit had revealed itself to her at a young age and had been by her side since that day. She had never known its name and it never showed its self but she could feel its presence and hear its voice. She had questioned at times if it was a demon trying to find a weakness in her mind that it could prey upon but the spirit had never shown her any type of aggressive manner it protected her from the eyes of the demons and the dangers that lingered in the Fade waiting to take hold of weak mages minds. She spent as much time in the Fade as she did in the real world, it had become a second home to her. But lately the Fade had felt different the dark haired female was the first mage that had ever approached her and then the man with golden eyes. He had been powerful she had felt it pouring from him like water would through a crack in a bowl. And now she was in an area she had never been before, so close to what the humans referred to as The Black City. She could see the darkness that seemed to cover the realm across from her it was like a heavy fog so dark that the eye could not see beyond it. "The Black City." A voice remarked behind her causing her to quickly turn around with a spell lit on her fingertips. "You!" She exclaimed when she saw the man with the golden eyes. "Do you not remember my name?" He asked stepping closer to her and taking her hand. She gasped, shocked, when his hand extinguished her spell. "Malik." He reminded her stepping closer to the edge of the Fade's land and looking up at The Dark City. The Elf stared at him. "Who are you?" She asked raising an eyebrow. "I told you my name is, Malik." He smiled turning back to the Elf. "We will meet outside of here." "When?" She asked as the human stepped closer and took her face in his hands. "When you wake." He chuckled. "I am here in your camp." "You are with the shems who came the night before?" Her ears flattened into her hair. Malik ran his fingers across them to where they came to a point and then back down with a strand of her hair between each finger. "Your friend, Lathi, he will ask you to come with him to a ruin in the forest." He looked up at the Elves dark green eyes staring at him intently. "I will be waiting there for you, in the chamber where your elders slept in the time before man corrupted them. Look for me, Avari." Her brow furrowed as she looked at him with curiosity. "How do you know so much about my people? You spoke in our tongue something that many of us cannot do." He smiled and stepped away from her to again look at The Black City that was in the distance. "I know many things that others do not, I am also capable of things that a mere mortal could not even dream to do." Avari stepped back and covered her mouth as the Fade around them shifted and shaped into something new. "You… you are a demon then?" "No I am not a demon but I spent most of my prior life in this realm. It housed me along with my kin. We were in an endless dream a sleep forced upon us from the Maker for our sins. We pushed our worshipers for power we wished to touch a God unlike ourselves but we did not expect our greed would taint his world and he would cast us down as punishment. We betrayed him we were tainted with greed for power we took His worship unto ourselves in our greed. Our worshipers turned away from their Maker and instead celebrated us, and we reveled in it. Even after He had cast us down and forced us deep under the foot of man we still called for our faithful wishing to be free but we did not know that the Maker had also punished them. Twisting them into an unspeakable horror which in turn they would taint us with just a single touch and our soul would then again be forced to seek out power." Malik looked down at the ground with shame. "Our greed is our demise in the end, the faithful seek us out and they destroy us at the peak of our power. The Maker puts our dreams in front of us and then rips them from our grip. T'is a hard lesson but one that we should learn. We are like a child reaching for Mothers jewelry only to be swatted down and punished." She looked at him confused at what he was speaking of. "I do not understand." He smiled turning back to the young Elf. "You will in time, words will never explain my nature it is too complicated but I will show you in time, Avari." He took the Elf's face again, resting his forehead upon hers. "But I can promise you, you will never have anything to fear from me, love. I have always been and will always remain your guardian in the shadows."<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

The dirt of the forest was cool on Avari's feet she loved the way it felt between her bare toes especially when they would cross the occasional stream that broke off from the larger river that ran through the forest. She loved the forest the smells of the flowers, the feel of the soft grass on her skin, and the sounds of the animals that called it home. She had always wondered how the flat ears could live in the large cities away from where they rightfully belonged. She sighed as she followed Lathi through the ruins that crumbled around them all her time in the forest and she had never seen these ruins before. They were mysterious in their origin and yet they did not resemble any of the other ruins that Dalish often came across at their camps. The veil felt thin in this part of the forest and Avari could hear the distant whispers of the spirits who had not found their way to the beyond. Many spoke in a language she could comprehend, she picked up the few Elven words that the Keeper had taught her but the rest was just gibberish to her ears. "What is this place?" She asked Lathi who held his hands out to her so he could guide her down into the entrance of the ruin. "The hunters and I found this place while stalking a deer." He replied looking up at the large ceilings that were crumbling from age. "There is great sorrow here, Lathi." Avari frowned wrapping her arms around herself. "The Elder Tree mentioned some type of battle. Not between our ancestors and humans it was something else." He replied taking her hand and leading her deeper into the ruin. She watched each corner of the old stone prison that held many who had become lost in their death. Lathi crouched down next to a freshly killed spider pulling off his gloves and touching the body while Avari walked deeper into the ruin. She could hear chanting or someone attempting to cast a spell, she looked over her shoulder to see Lathi still crouched next to the spider. She silently slipped around a corner and made her way down the stairs, she stopped next to a small fountain in the middle of the area. She pulled her robes up over her knees allowing her to kneel next to the fountain she carefully touched the surface of the water before submerging her hand. She slowly brought her hand to the surface watching as the water escaped between her fingers and returned to its sanctuary in the fountain. "Avari" She looked over her shoulder into the large room filled with beautiful stone sarcophagus that were scattered around. She pulled herself to her feet and cautiously stepped into the room.

A mage stood in the middle of the room upon a risen area where another sarcophagus laid, the Mabari that had been outside of the Keepers aravel was close to the man's side. Avari tilted her head as she walked closer to the mage. He wore heavy robes that were also covered with pieces of heavy metal armor, one on his shoulder and another on his chest. His chest piece bore the well-known Grey Warden Griffon the metal was black while the Grey Warden crest was silver. The robes under the heavy metal was a deep red while the fur that covered his shoulders was black and grey, it surely belonged to one of the great wolves that were found all around Thedas, a black hood hid his face from view as she approached him. He held out his hands to the elf that were wrapped in worn leather strips only his fingers visible. Avari slowly took his hands and allowed him to guide her closer to him the longing to be closer to him was just as strong as it had been in the Fade. "Did your Keeper tell you of this place?" He whispered while tucking her hair behind her pointed ear. She slowly shook her head no as she stared under the hood into the brightly golden eyes. "This is where the elves of old use to practice Uthenera." He explained turning to look at the lifeless skeleton. "I've been trying to tap into their memories to find out what exactly happened here. A great evil destroyed not only the elves here but the humans and I am curious in what this evil force was. My theory is that this may have been one the first areas attacked by the magisters who were tainted by stepping into The Golden City." "What are you?" Avari tilted her head to the side. "How do you know all these things?" Malik smiled and rested his hand on the elf's cheek and slowly rubbed it with his thumb. "I will show you in time." "How do you know so much about me? I have never been in any of the human city. Where have we met one another?" She stared at him confused. Malik chuckled. "Yes I remember you being upset in the Fade for not being able to see the bright colored dress." Her brow furrowed as she backed away from him. "How do you know this?" He followed her, catching her arm when she came to close to the edge of the stone floor. "Avari, I have been with you… well since I began having memories. Almost all my memories of the Fade are with you." She stared up at the mage squinting her eyes as she tried to scan her mind for any hidden memories of Malik. "The spirit!" she exclaimed as her eyes went wide. "You were the spirit! You were the one who protected me from the demons!" He nodded pulling the girl away from the edge and closer to the center. "There's something about you, Avari, something I haven't been able to figure out no matter how far I look into our destinies together." He looked at the confused girl and sighed. "Come, let us sit and I will answer what questions I can of the past."

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><p>"Avari?" Lathi called when he saw the girl sitting on the stairs with a hooded figure. He instinctively drew his dagger and held it towards the man. "Lathi!" Avari hurried to her feet carefully pushing the blade away. "Lathi, this is one of our guests at the camp." She turned to Malik as he slowly rose to his feet and adjusted his robes and armor plates. He bowed his head to the hunter. "Your friend here has been explaining your history." He smiled looking over at Avari. "I completely lost track of time, Lathi." She quickly grabbed the elves hand and pulled him with her as she walked towards the large door way. "Perhaps we all should make our way back to camp for supper. That is if you and friends would join us, Malik." She glanced over her shoulder at the mage who simply smiled. "It would be an honor." The three of them slowly made their way through the forest, Avari trailing behind Lathi to walk with the shemlen where she would laugh every so often causing Lathi to glare over his shoulder at her. He did not understand what was wrong with the girl especially when the shemlen stopped to pick a flower from the side of the path and Avari simply smiled when he placed it behind her ear. The shem seemed so strange, everything about him was different from his clothes to the few spells him and Avari had shared on the way back. While the fire on her fingertips colored the normal oranges, yellows and reds the shems fire sparked purples. When they had reached the camp the shem had again bowed and explained how he would gather his companions and would join their supper immediately, and when he walked away to the small camp the shem had built Lathi noticed that the man still watched Avari until she disappeared into her aravel.<p>

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><p>Avari pulled her hair from its bun letting it fall lazily onto her shoulders and down her back, she slid her toes through the shores soft wet sand that formed around her bare feet until they reached the water and disappeared from view. She looked over her shoulder when she heard the sound of heavy boots behind her. "You look different without your… armor." She remarked when she saw Malik. He wore a cream colored tunic with his leather armor pants that were likely what was hidden under his robes, they were as black as night along with the leather boots that he had untied when he had sat in front of the fire at supper. "I thought I may seem odd wearing all those clothes." He smiled falling down onto the ground next to the elf. "Why did you come to our camp?" Avari asked picking a leaf from the moist sand to slowly break it apart with her fingers. "Besides to find you? We needed a guide to lead us into the Wilds, the path to my Grandmothers is more than overgrown and I need to retrieve something from her shack." He watched Avari's hands as she dipped them into the water and let it wash away the pieces of the leaf from her fingers. "Your Keeper willingly offered you to us. You are the one who knows the forests the best." She smiled at his remark. "When you are not allowed into the cities you find other ways to keep yourself occupied." She looked over at the shem who was staring out at the pond she moved closer trying to see the ring on his finger that he was fumbling with. "Do you have wife?" Malik chuckled and stopped messing with the thick ring. "It was my Fathers." He answered pulling the ring off of his finger and handing it to the elf. She tilted her head as she studied the ring that she had slipped on her index finger. The small carvings on the ring shifted from the animals of the forest to humans, Avari's brow furrowed and she tilted her head in curiosity causing her ears to perk up showing her large interest in the ring. She had never seen a ring so enchanted that it had the power to shit the forms of the carvings. She grabbed Malik's hand pushing the ring back down onto his right ring finger causing the ring to begin glowing a dim red she pulled the ring off and studied it again before slipping it back onto his finger and watching as it began to glow again. "Very… bizarre." She remarked looking up at the mage who simply smiled. She looked over at the shemlen's camp where two females and three large males sat next to the fire, their laughter echoing through the large Dalish camp. The human's mounts caught her eye; they mixed with the clan's halla in a large pen. "We leave at first light." Malik said before standing to his feet and offering a hand to elf. Avari smiled before she walked past him, glancing over her shoulder at the mage before stepping into her aravel.<p>

Malik pulled the purple leather armor from his pack after tying Avari's belongings along with his own to his horse. "Here" He handed the armor to the elf. "Put this over your robes. The last thing we need is for you being downed by an arrow." He helped the elf pull the feathers of her robe out of the leather chest piece and buckle the straps. "Thanks" She smiled before walking off to her halla and pulling herself atop it. "Why is she not wearing shoes?" Hannah, one of Malik's female companion asked looking at the elf's bare feet that dangles off the sides of the halla. "They often do not wear shoes." Malik looked up at the woman before pulling himself onto his own mount. Lathi ran his hand down the neck of the halla until he reached Avari. "Be careful, lethallan." He took her hand in his. "Return to us soon." He whispered letting his friends hand slip from his as she followed the humans out of the camp.

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><p>Avari stayed quiet, choosing to listen to the shemlens as they laughed and joked with each other. Malik led the group joining in on the bashing of his companions every so often. She pulled the hood of her cloak over her head when they entered the human settlement. Malik quickly fell back to ride next to the elf. "We will be out of the main part of Lothering soon." He whispered keeping his eyes on the Templars as they passed. The circle had been free since the up rise of mages over twelve years ago but it did not stop the Templars from taking the route of the old methods, every mage to them was a threat and a danger and Avari screamed <em>I'm a mage.<em> Her staff was clearly visible on her halla and her robes were not those that a normal citizen would wear, along with her bare feet. "You there, elf!" A Templar called as he rode to catch up with the group. He blocked Avari and Malik's mounts with his horse. "We are not causing trouble we are just trying to pass through to the Wilds." Malik remarked dismounting his horse as several more Templars surrounded the two. He carefully helped Avari from the halla, keeping his eyes on the Templars. He removed her staff before giving the halla a swat on the behind sending it charging out of the small city. Avari stared at the Templars as she clung to Malik's arm, the Keeper had told her of the Templars and how since the rebel in Kirkwall the Templars had turned to taking mages that wandered far from the circles and slaughtering them, claiming the mages showed signs of possession. Malik pulled the girl closer till she was flat against his chest. "Did your Keeper teach how to shape shift?" He whispered as the Templars began to close in on them. "Yes?" She replied confused. Hannah cleared her throat as she pulled her bow. "So many well-armed men for such a tiny elf." "And a mage no less!" Chuckled a tall dark skinned man with black hair who followed Hannah's example and held his blade and shield in hand. "Shift now!" Malik barked as he used Avari's staff to pull one of the guards into the air. Avari didn't take the time of taking her robes off she just let them shred around her as her body began to transform its shape. She fell to her hands and knees; the only shape she knew was that of a wolf the Keeper was never able to teach her more. Malik began stripping out of the armor and robes before shifting into a large black wolf that dwarfed the elf's small white one. He followed Avari away from the Templars; she kept running even after they had lost the few Templars that had followed them. Avari kept running, she would stop every now and again to bury her nose in the dirt but by the time Malik reached her she would be off again.

Avari knew the shack as soon as she reached it the scent of magic covered the area around it like it was blanket. She shifted back to her eleven from and slowly walked forward through the heavy brush that had grown along the path, the ground had been taken by the marsh leaving it wet and soggy causing her to slip a few times and have to regain her footing. "This is Flemeth's hut?" Malik whispered from behind her after the dark purple magic had faded. She nodded walking to the door; she ran her hands along the door searching for a weak point where she could put enough pressure to open it. She quickly found where the door was weathered and pushed her body weight against it causing the rusted lock to break and allow the two entry. She quickly walked to the bed grabbing the heavy fur and wrapping it around her body with her back to the shemlen. He followed taking the thin cloth that covered the bed and wrapping it around his waist. She kneeled next to the fireplace placing her hand against the aged wood making sure that it had stayed dry throughout the years before she whispered her fire spell and lit the large logs. She stepped back to the bed taking a seat to pick out the small bush thorns that had lodged themselves into their feet. "Let me." Malik smiled pulling one of the heavy wooden chairs across the floor and taking the elves foot. "I thought I smelt something familiar." He said as he began to softly pull out the thorns. "You knew her?" Avari asked tucking the furs between her legs to keep herself covered. "No my Mother grew up here. I recognized her scent." He smiled running his thumbs across the now clean foot. He said a small healing spell removing the light poison that would cause the girl discomfort. "Will your companions know how to find us?" "They have my hound I am positive that he will lead them here." He took her other foot and began pulling out the thorns that littered it. Avari looked around the shack; the years had taken their toll on the small home. It smelt of rot and some parts of the wall had seemed to have begun giving out from the heavy weight from the rains that seemed to always plague the Wilds. She turned her attention back to Malik when she felt his hand pull on her ankle causing her to lie on her back. "What are you doing?" She gasped climbing further up the bed when Malik came towards her. "Do I scare you?" He grabbed her waist pulling her back down under him; he rested his hands on the bed on either side of her head. Avari stared into the golden eyes that watched her own so closely, she relaxed against the bed causing her long chocolate hair to bunch up behind her head. "No." She answered him. Malik smiled leaning closer to her till his lips brushed hers. "Then do not fear me, lath." He breathed. Avari cautiously pushed her lips to the mages. Malik clenched the elf's hair into his hands when their kiss deepened, his magic erupting around them feeling the room with the sparkling dark purple as it plunged them into the Fade. Avari kept her eyes tightly closed and grabbed ahold of the mage's arms, holding onto him not wanting him to slip away from her. Images began to flood into her mind… memories… memories that were not of her own.

_She opened her eyes to darkness; she reached her arms out in front of her searching for Malik only to be met with cold solid rock. "Malik?" She screamed as she franticly searched her small prison only to find that she was alone, crushed under the cold rock. She called out his name as she clawed at the rock._

Malik opened his eyes and looked upon the elf when her body arched underneath him; the magic surrounding her like chains would a murderer. He set his forehead upon hers and tightly closed his eyes knowing what she was experiencing but he knew she would need to see what he was sooner rather than later but her decision would determine the destinies that were laid out in front of them. All he could do is watch as the old magic forced itself into the elf's mind.

_Avari cried as her fingers became bloody, dripping the warm liquid on her face. She covered her eyes as light flooded the small area. "Malik?" She breathed reaching out into the blinding light. Fingers lightly touched her hand causing a burning trail up her arm, she screamed out in agony as the fire in her veins tore through her body. She laid back against the cool rock and tightly closed her eyes wrapping her arms around her body as she screamed fearing that her body was dying. The burning slowly faded away and Avari again slowly opened her eyes. Her jaw dropped when she saw the large dragon in front of her, fire erupting from its open mouth when a large Qunari drove the heavy sword into the beast. A mage surrounded the beast with frost before collapsing to the ground. She recognized her immediately; it was the mage from the Fade. The woman who had approached her before Malik. The dragon stumbled but quickly regained itself letting out another scream as the Qunari drove its blade into it again. It knocked the large man away; again it stumbled letting out a weak growl. She looked over to where a tall human was pulling his blade out of a dead Hurlock. He resembled Malik except his eyes where a deep blue and his hair a light brown. The man looked at the dragon as it stumbled and tried to regain its strength. He ran towards the beast dropping to his knees when the dragon attempted to down him with its fire, instead the man impaled the dragon's neck on his blade slicing it from beginning to end. Avari watched as the dragon screeched in pain its life source pouring out around him. The beast eventually fell to the ground its head falling at the warrior's feet. He roared as he drove his blade into the dragon's skull causing it to erupt with power. Avari fell to her knees and covered her head. "You hold great power, child. You have the soul of an Old God; you are cursed and blessed with its power and memories. Everything will fall down upon you and you will be forced to fight back. But you will fail."_


End file.
